Generally speaking, there are two types of speculums in common use, namely those that do not substantially dilate the body cavity and those that do.
Non-dilating speculums are relatively simple tubular devices, frequently made of transparent plastics material, frequently fitted with an eyepiece including a light source, which are inserted into the body cavity to enable it to be inspected. Sometimes that part of the speculum that enters the body cavity is a detachable, single use, disposable item.
Prior known dilating speculums have comprised a tubular array of two or more rigid, elongate leaves, frequently of arcuate cross section, and means to expand the array by bodily, generally radially outwardly, movement of the individual leaves.
It is usual, because of the need for strength, for dilating speculums to be made of metal. This has precluded the use of disposable, single use components in such speculums, rendering it necessary for dilating speculums to be throughly cleaned and sterilised after use.
Quite often it is desirable or necessary for the inspection to be performed on a conscious and alert patient, and almost invariably this causes discomfort at least, and in many instances considerable pain. This is particularly so when relatively simple dilating speculums comprising only two separable leaves are used.
Furthermore, the insertion of metallic objects into body orifices, and the cold sensation created thereby, is psychologically distressing to many patients. So much so that some women put themselves at risk by failing to have routine vaginal examinations as a check on possible cervical cancer, for example, so called pap smears, merely because of their repugnance to the use of prior known metallic dilating speculums.
Attempts to alleviate the unpleasantness associated with the use of simple prior known dilating speculums have resulted in speculums having more than two leaves. This reduces the pressure between the speculum and the surface of the dilated cavity, but introduces still further undesirable complexity into the mechanism with consequent high cost, and of course does nothing to alleviate the disadvantage of metallic speculums indicated above.
A dilating speculum which overcomes many of the disadvantages of the above mentioned prior known dilating speculums is disclosed in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU94/00111 in the name of Clemens Van der Weegen.
However, a problem associated with such a speculum is that it requires considerable assembly of parts. Such assembly increases the risk of contaminating sterile components of the speculum, and also increases the time to set up the speculum for use.
An object of the invention is to provide a probe for a dilating speculum which is simple to assemble and of a single use disposable type and facilitates inspection of a body cavity.